The present invention relates to a remote output system in which various types of information provided by a computer are retrieved from a mobile telephone and confidentiality of the information related to an output request issued from the mobile telephone is ensured.
An information output system using PDA (Personal Digital Assistants) as a portable information device having a communicating function is becoming rapidly common. In such a system, document information created by a personal computer or a workstation, information searched and downloaded through the Internet, or information in an electronic mail is quite often output by an output device (printer) connected to a dedicated network.
A technology of transmitting document data created by a portable information device such as PDA to a printing unit installed at a store designated by a user and printing out the data is disclosed, for example, in xe2x80x9cData transfer output system and information processing unitxe2x80x9d in JP, HEI 10-191453A. Further, an information output system is disclosed in JP, HEI 10-222527A. In this information output system, a user of a portable information device retrieves desired information such as map information, weather information, or information for train timetables from a service center, and the retrieved data can be output at a place designated by the user. The place may be a convenience store, a gas station, or a service area on a highway. Particularly, in this system, an output device that outputs retrieved data is connected to a dedicated network and information is retrieved using a dedicated terminal such as PDA.
In the conventional system, however, when information is to be retrieved and an output request for the information is to be issued, the retrieval of the information is executed using a dedicated terminal such as PDA. Therefore, a commonly used mobile telephone cannot be used as a general-purpose terminal for retrieval.
In the case of JP, HEI 10-191453A, information to be printed out is supposed to be handed over at a store where printing service is provided. While, in the case of JP, HEI 10-222527A, the information retrieved through the portable information device is output from an output device installed at a place designated by a user. Accordingly, a third party may be involved during operation from retrieval till output of information. Therefore, output information may be leaked, thus confidentiality of the information may not be ensured when the information is output.
It is an object of this invention to enable retrieval and output of information without having to use a terminal specific to retrieval of the information by operating a mobile telephone so as to perform retrieval of information and issue its output request.
It is another object of this invention to store information retrieved by a mobile telephone in an output device or the mobile telephone, and ensure the confidentiality of the information by authenticating a user in the side of output device.
The system according to one aspect of this invention retrieves information provided by a computer and issues an output request for the information through a mobile telephone, and outputs an image of the information from an output device on a network. Accordingly, the need for preparing a dedicated terminal for retrieval like in the conventional system is eliminated.
In the system according to another aspect of this invention, when information provided by a computer is to be output, an output request for desired information is issued to the computer through a mobile telephone. The computer adds an authentication number to the information and transmits the number to a target output device, stores the authentication number and the information in a storage unit, and verifies an authentication number transmitted from the mobile telephone. When there is a match between the authentication number and the stored authentication number, the information is output from the output device. Accordingly, the output information passing can surely be performed, thus leakage of the output information to third parties is avoided.
In the system according to still another aspect of this invention, an output request for desired information is issued to a computer through a mobile telephone. The computer adds an authentication number to the information, transmits the number to a target output device, and stores the authentication number and the information in a storage unit. When information is to be output from the output device, a user inputs an authentication number from the side of the output device. The authentication number is verified, and when there is a match between the authentication number and the stored authentication number, the information is output from the output device. Accordingly, leakage of the information to third parties is avoided.
Further, the storage unit is connected to the output device, so that the information transmitted from a computer is stored in the storage unit, and the information is output based on user authentication executed at the time of its output. Accordingly, leakage of the information to third parties is prevented.
Further, an input unit with which the authentication number is input is provided on the side of the output device. Accordingly, when information is to be output by the output device, an authentication number is input through the input unit without using a mobile telephone, which can ensure confidentiality of the information in a state of improved operability.
Further, the authentication number is set to a specific number. This specific number is determined by combining a progression obtained by referring to random numbers with a string of symbols by adding alphanumeric characters to the progression, or/and a telephone number of an originator, a product number, or a subscriber number and a password. These subscriber number and password are owned by a user who has subscribed to an information provider for accessing the computer. Accordingly, leakage of the number to third parties can be avoided. Especially, when the specific number owned by the mobile telephone is determined as an authentication number, overlaps between the authentication numbers and failing to remember the number can be avoided.
In the system according to still another aspect of this invention, a computer receives an output request for information and stores the information in a storage unit connected to a mobile telephone. The mobile telephone transmits the information stored in the storage unit to an output device at the time of its output, and an image is output by the output device. Accordingly, leakage of the information to third parties can be prevented without having to provide an authentication mechanism for user IDs or the like, which takes the load of the processing off the computer and the output device.
Further, communications between the mobile telephone and the output device are performed through a wireless network to eliminate a burdensome connection between terminals or the like, which can facilitate a connection between the mobile telephone and the output device.
Further, communications between the mobile telephone and the output device are performed by infrared transmission to eliminate a burdensome connection between terminals and the like, which can facilitate a connection between the mobile telephone and the output device.
Further, communications between the mobile telephone and the output device are performed through wireless communication based on Bluetooth standard to eliminate a burdensome connection between terminals or the like. Accordingly, a connection between the mobile telephone and the output device can reliably be facilitated.
Other objects and features of this invention will become apparent from the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings.